Track mounting system for electronic devices

Abstract

A track mounting system for mounting electronic devices is described. The mounting system includes a mounting plate having a pair of tracks extending forwardly and a pair of mounting brackets to which a device is attached. The mounting brackets include sidewardly extending mounting fingers which engage inner surfaces of the tracks to lock the brackets to the tracks by forcing edges of the mounting fingers to "bite" into the inner surfaces of the tracks. The edges of the mounting fingers are biased into the inner surfaces of the tracks by force from a tensioning arm which is flexed as the device is rotated into its mounting position. The device and brackets are retained in their alignment orientation by retaining tabs which engage the tracks. To ease alignment of the mounting brackets to the tracks, a guide extension extends from the mounting brackets and is curved sidewardly to guide the brackets into their alignment position as a device is rotated into its mounting position. The mounting plate includes a pair of secondary tracks having a groove therebetween to which a cable retainer clip attaches. The cable retainer clip and groove together provide a passageway for cables to pass behind the mounted device to be concealed from view.

I claim: 
     
       1. A system for mounting an electronic instrument on a wall, comprising: a mounting plate having a pair of parallel primary tracks, said mounting plate adapted for fastening to said wall with a rear surface of said mounting plate facing said wall, a forward surface of said mounting plate facing away from said wall, and with said primary tracks oriented vertically, each of said primary tracks being formed by a forwardly extending leg projecting from the forward surface of said mounting plate and a transversely extending leg projecting from the forward edge of said forwardly extending leg whereby an elongated track gap is formed between each transversely extending leg and the forward surface of said mounting plate; and   a pair of mounting brackets each of which include: (a) a base portion fastenable to the electronic instrument; and   (b) a resilient mounting finger extending rearwardly and downwardly from its respective base portion when said mounting fingers are inserted in respective track gaps, each of said mounting fingers having a distance between forward and rear edges that causes said forward edge to contact the transversely extending leg of said primary track and said rear edge to contact the forward surface of the mounting plate when said mounting fingers are inserted into said track gaps with said electronic device projecting downwardly and forwardly away from said mounting plate whereby pivotal movement of said base portion toward said mounting plate about said mounting fingers causes the forward and rear edges of respective mounting tabs to frictionally engage the transversely extending legs of said primary track and the forward surface of said mounting plate, and downward forces exerted on said medical instrument impart a pivotal torque to said mounting fingers that increases the frictional engagement between the forward and rear edges of said mounting fingers and the transversely extending legs of said primary track and the forward surface of said mounting plate, respectively.     
     
     
       2. The system of claim 1 wherein said mounting brackets further include retaining tabs projecting from said base portion to engage said primary tracks to maintain said base portions adjacent respective primary tracks, thereby maintaining frictional engagement between said mounting fingers and said primary track. 
     
     
       3. The system of claim 2 wherein the base portion includes a mounting piece further comprising: lower tensioning arms intermediate the mounting piece of said base portion and said retaining tabs; and   push pads fixedly connected to each of said lower tensioning arms and positioned at a lower end of said lower tensioning arms such that pressure applied inwardly to said push pads causes said flexure of said lower tensioning arms for releasing said retaining tabs from engagement with said primary tracks.   
     
     
       4. The system of claim 3 wherein said base portion includes a mounting section further including a planar tensioning arm intermediate the mounting section of said base portion and said mounting finger and providing connection therebetween, said pivotal movement flexing said tensioning arm to cause said forward and rear edges of said mounting fingers to remain continuously frictionally engaged to the transversely extending legs of said primary tracks and the forward surface of said mounting plate, respectively. 
     
     
       5. The system of claim 1 wherein said mounting bracket further comprises planar guide walls projecting substantially rearwardly from said base portion, said guide walls being oriented substantially vertically when said bracket is mounted to said mounting plate, a sideward surface of said guide walls engaging an edge of said plate to prevent sideward rotation of said bracket, retaining said mounting fingers in said track gap. 
     
     
       6. The system of claim 5 wherein said brackets further include planar curved extensions of said guidewalls, each curved extension curving away from said retaining tab to provide a guiding surface for aligning said guidewalls to said primary tracks. 
     
     
       7. The system of claim 6 wherein said mounting brackets further include retaining tabs projecting from said base portion to engage said primary tracks to maintain said base portions adjacent respective primary tracks, thereby maintaining frictional engagement between said mounting fingers and said primary track. 
     
     
       8. The system of claim 7 further comprising: lower tensioning arms intermediate a mounting piece of said base portion and said retaining tabs; and   push pads fixedly connected to each of said lower tensioning arms and positioned at a lower end of said lower tensioning arms such that pressure applied inwardly to said push pads causes said flexure of said lower tensioning arms for releasing said retaining tabs from engagement with said primary tracks.   
     
     
       9. The mounting bracket of claim 8 wherein said base portion includes a mounting section further including a planar tensioning arm intermediate the mounting section of said base portion and said mounting finger and providing connection therebetween, said pivotal movement flexing said tensioning arm to cause said forward and rear edges of said mounting fingers to remain continuously frictionally engaged to the transversely extending legs of said primary tracks and the forward surface of said mounting plate, respectively. 
     
     
       10. The mounting bracket of claim 8 wherein said mounting bracket further comprises planar guide walls projecting substantially rearwardly from said base portion, said guide walls being oriented substantially vertically when said bracket is mounted to said mounting plate, a sideward surface of said guide walls engaging an edge of said plate to prevent sideward rotation of said bracket, thereby retaining said mounting fingers in said gap. 
     
     
       11. The system of claim 1, further comprising; a pair of parallel secondary tracks intermediate said primary tracks and spaced apart by a predetermined distance, each of said secondary tracks being formed by a rail extending forwardly from said mounting plate and having a transversely extending lip projecting from forward edge of said rail; and   a retaining clip mountable to said secondary tracks, said retaining clip including a pair of opposed arms interconnected by a resilient center piece and projecting rearwardly from said center piece, each of said opposed arms including a groove at its rearward end for engaging its respective lip to retain said retaining clip to said mounting plate.   
     
     
       12. The mounting bracket of claim 11 wherein said mounting brackets further include retaining tabs projecting from said base portion to engage said tracks to maintain said base portions adjacent respective tracks, thereby maintaining frictional engagement between said mounting fingers and said track. 
     
     
       13. The mounting bracket of claim 12 wherein said brackets further include planar curved extensions of said guidewalls, each curved extension curving away from said retaining tab to provide a guiding surface for aligning said guidewalls to said tracks. 
     
     
       14. A mounting bracket formed from a single planar sheet for mounting a medical device to a mounting plate, the mounting plate having a pair of vertically oriented parallel tracks extending forwardly from a forward surface of the mounting plate, the tracks include a forwardly extending leg projecting from said forward surface and a transversely extending leg projecting from a forward edge of said forwardly extending leg, whereby an elongated track gap is formed between each transversely extending leg and the forward surface of the mounting plate, comprising: a base portion fastened to the medical component; and   a resilient mounting finger extending rearwardly and downwardly from its respective base portion when said mounting fingers are inserted in respective track gaps, each of said mounting fingers having a distance between forward and rear edges that causes said forward edge to contact the transversely extending leg of said track and said rear edge to contact the forward surface of said mounting plate when said mounting fingers are inserted into said track gaps with said electronic device projecting downwardly and forwardly away from said mounting plate whereby pivotal movement of said base portion toward said mounting plate about said mounting fingers causes the forward and rear edges of respective mounting tabs to frictionally engage the transversely extending legs of said track and the forward surface of said mounting plate, and downward forces exerted on said medical instrument impart a pivotal torque to said mounting fingers that increase the frictional engagement between the forward and rear edges of said mounting fingers and the transversely extending legs of said track and the forward surface of said mounting plate, respectively.   
     
     
       15. The mounting bracket of claim 14 wherein the base portion includes a mounting section further comprising: lower tensioning arms intermediate the mounting section of said base portion and said retaining tabs; and   push pads fixedly connected to each of said lower tensioning arms and positioned at a lower end of said lower tensioning arms such that pressure applied inwardly to said push pads causes said flexure of said lower tensioning arms for releasing said retaining tabs from engagement with said tracks.   
     
     
       16. The system of claim 15 wherein said mounting brackets further include retaining tabs projecting from said base portion to engage said tracks to maintain said base portions adjacent respective tracks, thereby maintaining frictional engagement between said mounting fingers and said track.